...and that breeds similar comedians, says one stand-up

BBC radio comedy has been accused of being ‘stuck in the past’ and stifling the way comedians work.

Writing in The Spectator, stand-up Liam Mullone says that Radio 4 has such a vital role in helping comedians break into broadcasting, but is too conservative to foster imaginative work.

Although conceding that ‘Radio 4 does well to make anything at all’ he said: ‘Many comedians find Radio 4 exasperating, but we don’t say anything because radio is such a crucial rung on the ascent of any professional joker,’ he said.

He believes that the station’s ethos has a knock-on effect on live comedy, with too few of the hundreds of comedians at the Edinburgh Fringe taking a satirical, iconoclastic approach and instead choosing wry observational stand-up. ‘Comedy has stopped being about change, or society,’ he says.

Mullone also argues that BBC radio is too prescriptive in what it commissions, concluding: ‘What remains is the paradox of ardent youth talking about itself, then being raked over by well-meaning thirtysomething socialists who live in corridors full of buzzword-covered whiteboards to see if there’s anything there to appeal to people in contented middle age.’

He concedes that unusual shows are sometimes commissioned – citing the ‘very funny and very different’ Bigipedia in 2011, but says that it did not survive as it proved too difficult for listeners to dip into.

The BBC declined to comment, saying Mullone was entitled to express an opinion.

But comedy writer James Cary – whose credits include Miranda, Bluestone 42 and radio shows such as Another Case Of Milton Jones – defended the BBC.

In a blog post, he said: ‘Despite the constant barrage from self-righteous MPs and tiresome Daily Mail columnists, the BBC continues. And BBC Radio 4 keeps putting out scripted comedies gems like Cabin Pressure, Bleak Expectations, That Mitchell and Webb Sound, Bigipedia, Giles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes Off, Old Harry's Game, Party, In and Out of the Kitchen, Elvenquest, John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme, Nick Mohammed in Bits to name but a few - as well as the stalwart institutions like Just A Minute, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, The News Quiz and The Now Show.

‘In short, Radio 4 comedy has a pretty decent hit rate and have a profoundly beneficial effect on the British comedy scene. But then, no-one's going to print an article about that, are they?’

• Liam Mullone’s original piece is here; and James Cary’s response is here.

Published: 20 Sep 2013